The announcement ends months of speculation in the theme park industry about details of Busch Gardens' new ride, which it plans to name SheiKra, after a type of African hawk.

The new ride will be the tallest dive coaster in the world, and one drop will hurtle riders down at a 90 degree angle. A second 90-degree drop will race 138 feet into a subterranean tunnel. Riders also will be treated to a rolling loop and a water splash at the end of the ride. The attraction will feature a jungle ruins theme.

Busch Gardens officials said the new attraction will accommodate a maximum of 1,500 riders each hour. They wouldn't disclose the cost of the new coaster but general manager Dan Brown said major new roller coasters can cost more than $10 million to build.

``This is a substantial investment,'' Brown said.

When it opens next year, the new coaster will be the third diving roller coaster in the world. The two diving coasters currently in operation are in England and Taiwan.

Brown said the ride is part of Busch's plan to add attractions to boost visitor traffic at the Tampa theme park. Busch Gardens, like other theme parks nationwide, saw attendance declines between 2001 and 2003 as the recession caused people to cut back on entertainment and fears of terrorism curtailed travel.

Brown said the park has experienced good business so far this year, although he wouldn't be specific. The diving roller coasters in England and Taiwan have received mixed reviews from roller coaster fans. Most have praised the free fall drops, but they complained about the brevity of the rides, which last about 80 seconds each. Busch officials emphasized Wednesday that the park's SheiKra ride will last longer than the rides in England and Taiwan. SheiKra will last three minutes.

While Busch officials said the roller coaster will offer plenty of thrills and chills for coaster fans, they emphasized that the new ride has been designed for the entire family.

``We don't want the ride so intense that it minimizes the number of people who can ride it,'' Brown said.

To ensure a competitive advantage, Bollinger & Mabillard, the Swiss manufacturer of the diving coaster, has agreed not to build any similar coasters in the United States for several years, Brown said.

To further capitalize on the attraction, Busch Gardens said it planned to replace the old smokehouse restaurant with a larger facility that can seat 500 indoors and outdoors. The facility will be located by the new roller coaster in the Stanleyville section of the park.

Abraham Pizam, dean of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Florida, said Busch Gardens is wise to plan new attractions that will appeal to families because theme parks depend on them for the bulk of their business.

Reporter Randy Diamond can be reached at (813) 259-8144.